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Picture the scene! It’s a balmy June evening at Haigh Hall in 1873. It’s
also one of the most special days in the magnificent hall’s history.
Upstairs the master of the house Lord Crawford, Alexander Lindsay, 8th
Earl of Balcarres and his wife Lady Margaret are making their final
preparations to receive the most prestigious of guests, the Prince and
Princess of Wales Albert Edward and Alexandra.
The occasion – the opening of Wigan’s new infirmary named in honour of
the prince. The celebration – a sumptuous gala dinner in the heart of
Haigh Hall attended by the great and good of the borough.
As the guests settle and the room comes to a whispered hush in readiness
for their royal highnesses, the subdued silence is suddenly shattered by
the most blood curdling of screams. Moments later a body is found in a
nearby ante-room and there can be only one conclusion…murder! But who
can solve this most heinous of crimes and bring the perpetrator of this
darkest of deeds to justice? Well…you can. ‘Murder at Haigh Hall’ is an
exciting new event which will see the borough’s jewel in the crown used
as the backdrop for an evening of high drama, exquisite food and great
fun.
Staff at the hall have teamed up with Wigan Pier Theatre Company to
produce a truly unique event, which will allow anyone the chance to take
part in the Victorians’ favourite parlour game – solving a murder
mystery.
Haigh Hall’s Sales and Events Officer Jill Smith, explains, “We wanted
to create an exciting event that shows off everything the hall has to
offer to its fullest. We know that murder mystery events can be
extremely popular and you couldn’t really ask for a better location.”
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Jill adds, “A team of professional actors from Wigan Pier Theatre
Company will be playing the parts of the various suspects during the
evening. Guests will enjoy a four-course carvery meal and in between
each course more of the plot will be revealed. At the end everyone will
be given the opportunity to guess who the killer is.”
Wigan Pier Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Stewart Aitken is
currently busy finalising the script for the big night and he’s chosen
the backdrop of real historical events to bring the piece to life. “The
Prince and Princess of Wales did visit Haigh Hall for the opening of the
Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in 1873,” he says. “So this seemed like a
perfect way to blend the colourful history of the hall with the
fictitious murder.”
“The actors will be in full period costume on the night and each will
play a different suspect. It will be a mixture of scripted scenes and
improvisation with guests being given the chance to question the
suspects before reaching their conclusion. We know that some of those
people who have already bought tickets are planning to enter into the
spirit of things by dressing in Victorian costume so it promises to be a
fantastic evening.”
And the date for this tale of murder most horrid? It could only be
one…Friday 13th October! “Tickets are already on sale and are going
fast,” says Jill. “Half of them have already been snapped up. We are
planning two more murder mystery events at Haigh Hall in the run up to
Christmas on December 14th and 21st, which should be great parties and
all have a different outcome. If they are successful we’ll be putting
many more such events on in the future.”
Tickets for Murder at Haigh Hall are priced £35 and are on sale now. To
book your place or for more information call 01942 832895 or visit
www.haighhall.net.
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NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this News Release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Public Relations Officer, Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust on 01942 486937 or at
c.dunbar@wlct.org. For more general
information contact Haigh Hall Sales and Events Officer Jill Smith on
01942 832895 or Wigan Pier Theatre Company Artistic Director Stewart
Aitken on 01942 709305.
Picture caption: ‘Behind You!’ Wigan Pier Theatre Company Artistic
Director Stewart Aitken and Haigh Hall Sales and Events Officer Jill
Smith get ready for Murder at Haigh Hall.
Haigh Hall: Haigh Hall and Country Park is managed by Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust. The Hall was previously the home of the Earl of Crawford
and Balcarres. Haigh Hall is a listed building dating back to 1840.
www.haighhall.net
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org
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'Behind You!' - Wigan Pier Theatre
Company Artistic Director Stewart Aitken and Haigh Hall Sales and Events
Officer Jill Smith get ready for Murder at Haigh Hall. |